Symptoms
When deploying from the console in Protect you choose the Deployment Configuration option to "Copy files to selected machine(s) but do not install", and you are using a deployment template configured to use a distribution server. However, patch files fail to copy to the target system in the C:\Windows\Propatches\Patches directory when you click "Deploy".
Cause
The reason that there are no patch files copied to the target system is because of the way distribution servers are used. Protect uses a map file that is copied to the target system along with a batch and confiuration file so that deployments know where to copy files from a distribution server. Because the batch file only runs when installation is initiated - it never runs for a "copy only", and because of this the patch files are never copied from the distribution server to the target system.
Resolution
1) The best workaround is to choose a deployment template that does not employ the use of a distribution server for using the option to "Copy files to selected machin(s) but do not install". This will allow the patch files to be copied directly from the Protect console system to the target system(s).
2) Manually go out to the target system and run the batch file that was created in C:\Windows\Propatches\Install. This will run the process to copy the patch file(s) from the distribution server to the target system.
Additional Information
If you would like to submit a feature request/change request please submit requests for vCenter Protect here: http://shavlik.featureidea.com
Products
Shavlik Protect 9.x
vCenter Protect 8.x